Safe
by Lia H. James
Summary: Violet knows what "I love you" means and she knows that she loves the Mayor. But... What kind of love does her heart beat for when she thinks of him?
1. Chapter 1

There she is, walking through the streets again. Hair perfectly brushed and clothes that suit her body like a glove.

She walks around as if she knows every inch and every corner of this city, which she probably does if I'm being honest.

Her doll-like face is pale like always. Her sky blue eyes shine as always.

She looks as beautiful as ever.

Violet would never admit it, but since they told her that the Major was missing in action, she's been sleeping either with the window partially open or with a candlelit beside her.

She tried to do that in a desperate attempt to tell the Major she was there. That she was safe. That he could come back.

That he could come back home.

Back to her.

She understood what "I love you" meant a while ago.

But she kind of wished she never got to know the meaning, because she knew, in the bottom of her heart, that if she was never going to see the Major again, she would hate herself for the rest of her days. Because she didn't say it back before it was too late. Because it took her so long to realize what those words were.

Because she didn't understand what it meant back then, but she does now. And not a day goes by with her regretting not saying it back.

All those times where she felt a significant warmth in her chest, around her heart every time she looked at him.

How she felt safe every time she was standing next to him.

She has loved him from the very first moment she looked into his eyes. Those beautiful emerald eyes.

But now she can't say it back, and that kills her every night.

She never liked the time of the day when she had to go to sleep. She hated to be away from the Major. But now, its the moment of the day she looks most forward to.

She wants to go to sleep so bad just so she can see him in her dreams. Because he's not beside her anymore.

Because she'd rather live a fake life with him every night than face her reality every day.

She missed him. So much.

She wanted to figure out what kind of love she felt for him.

Because she did love him, so very much. But she wasn't sure in what way.

As a father figure? Even though that could be quite hard to imagine, since she has never had parents. She is unable to compare to something that was never there.

Maybe as a friend that's always been there for her?

As the brother she never had?

Or perhaps...as something more?

All she knew is that she wasn't ready to let his memory go. She wasn't ready to move on. She needed him, she didn't need his orders anymore. She just needed to hear his voice, to know that he was alright.

She tucked herself and closed her eyes, excited for what dream with her Mayor she would have now. There weren't always nice dreams, she mostly had nightmares, but he was always there. And that was all that mattered. Her life has been a nightmare for so long but with him by her side, Paradise would replace Hell in a blink of an eye.

She slept tight, not being aware of what tomorrow may have for her. She slept like she did since the Mayor was no longer with her:

Alone.


	2. chapter 2

The sound of the birds singing woke her up, it brought to mind a faint memory of herself waking up on that Island she used to live.

But it was such a distant memory it almost seemed as if she made it up.

She most certainly knew that it wasn't the case, but she has so many beautiful memories now to replace that strange one that she hasn't thought about it for so long.

She was still adjusting herself to the light when she felt it; her heart beating fast all of a sudden. Warmth started to embrace her figure and soul. Just like she felt when she was next to... The Mayor.

Her eyes opened widely, in realization. Tears filling them up not so longer after she brought one of her metalic hands into her mouth, covering a gasp of excitement. Or a cry of hope. Depends on the way you saw it.

This was so good to be true, was she still dreaming?

Her cheeks startedstarted to blush and a small smile started to grow in her rosy lips.

She was still in her room and it took her no time to stand up and get properly dressed. Energy filling her young self completely, she needed to leave that room, as soon as possible.

Violet was trying to fight to get dressed up in no time but to still look as good as ever. She needed to look presentable. Paying special detail on the brooch of her neck.

If her heart was right, if it was telling the truth...then the Mayor was close. He was safe.

And most importantly, she was right. All the people that told her to lose hope, to give up, all those people would have to eat their words.

She was in a cloud of bliss. She now knew what her feelings were. She was happy. And she had to leave that room to check her suspicions.

She has never ran this fast in her entire life, not even in all the fighting, not even when she was trying to scape the truth. She was walking back then in comparison.

Violet has been walking around the post office for a solid 10 minutes, in a desperate attempt to follow her heart, that was still beating fast. She had to find him, she needed to. She felt him so close.

Then a beat. Faster than the others, she felt it. He was close. There was only one place she hadn't checked: Claudia Hodgin's office.

It didn't take her long to start running up the stairs, trying not to get in other people's ways. But she couldn't care less, it was the first time that she was being selfish, but she deserved to be so, for at least once.

Violet stood in front of the door and froze in fear, hearing her heart suddenly become steady yet her soul was not.

What if Gilbert wasn't there? What if she was just trying to hold on to a dream that would never happen? What if it was time for her to wake up?

With tears in her eyes, she opened the door without knocking.

And she saw that beautiful emerald green again.


	3. Chapter 3

Both men stood there, one sitting behind his desk and the other one in front. The man with the ponytail had a worried expression while the other one did not.

Major Gilbert stood there, in front of the young girl he once named Violet. And his heart was still beating for her.

He saw her look at him without believing the sight given by her very own eyes. And now it was his turn to feel his heart beating fast.

She had become the most beautiful thing he has ever seen, of course Violet has always been the most precious person to Gilbert, but he knew that she had changed. There was something in her eyes, she was not a weapon anymore.

Major Gilbert wasn't wearing his normal uniform, he was wearing casual clothes, or what could be for him casual since a suit was covering his body.

An eye patch covered his right eye and showed some scars that were remainings of the injury.

He was there. In that room.

Alive.

"Mayor..." Violet's voice came up as a whisper.

She took a step into the room, weary of this being really true. Her heart was right, and she was in shock.

"Hello, my dear Violet"

Those words were the only thing she needed to hear for her to run into his arms and hug him. An action that took both men by surprise but that made the one being hugged particularly happy.

She was hugging him. She didn't hate him. A fear that he had kept for so long, vanishing all of a sudden.

"Major..." she whispered once again, more so because her voice was breaking of excitement "It really is you..., I knew you were alive, I felt it in my heart"

Those words made Gilbert hug back, coming out of the previous shock.

Was it possible that she...felt the same way?

"Violet, my dear. Even though there is nothing else that I wish but owning your heart, I want you to understand that me being back does not mean that I expect you to feel the same way" he paused for a second, he wanted to enjoy her body being so close to him. Their hearts next to one another.

"What I've said before is true, I love you. Yet I want you to learn what it means and if you decide that you don't feel that way I would completely understand so and..."

Her hands covered by gloves held his face. Blue and green meeting once again.

"I love you, Major" she said before kissing his lips.

Gilbert held her by the wrist not allowing her to let go while she held him fearing he would banish.

Claudia stood there, not knowing but to do but smile.

The pair stopped kissing and Violet caressed his cheek, the one that had several scars. She kissed him once again and smiled in the middle of the kiss. Making the Major blush.

"Marry me" she whispers, loud enough that Claudia can hear.

Gilbert looks at her with horror, not thinking it was her that said those words.

"Violet, I..."

"I've learned, thanks to my missions, what love is and that apparently marriage is something you do when you truly love someone. That is why, I am asking you right now to marry you, Major. Allow me to love you"

Gilbert stands there, his heart beating like crazy. No idea in his mind of what he's supposed to say.

Of course he wants to marry her, that's his dream coming to live. But wouldn't it mean that it wouldn't allow her to meet more people? Doesn't she want to date someone more of her age?

Why him?

"Violet, perhaps you've over thought this..." Claudia tries to speak. "Don't you want to...wait maybe a little? You just found out Gilbert was alive maybe its the excitement talking, Violet" he says calmly. He doesn't want to hurt her feelings.

"I've always wanted to marry the Mayor" Violet says looking at Claudia, taking both men by surprise

"Marriage is to give yourself to someone and to stay by their side until the day both of you die and that is what I wanted to do from the very first moment I met the Major"

"Violet..." Gilbert starts.

"You don't have to say yes, Major..." she says with quite a sad tone. "I understand that this may be a lot for you, but my offer will still be on the table, until you take it" she declares with a small smile.

"Violet, allow me to suggest something" she nods "let's get used to each other once again, allow me to witness the marvelous young woman you've become and all the things you have learnt. And then...we can have this conversation again" a sad smile portrayed on his face "Because I do, but...I want to be with you"

"Soon" she declares "what you're saying is that you will marry me, yet now is not the right moment"

"Yes"

"Okay...then...am I...allowed to, um, be with you?"

"What do you mean? As...a couple?"

"As whatever the Major feels comfortable with and will allow me to be" Violet admits looking down.

"Then a couple we shall be" Major Gilbert declares as he kisses her forehead.

"Gil...are you, sure?" Claudia sort of whispers.

"Why shouldn't I be, dear friend?" Asks while holding Violet's hands in his. With noticeable happiness in his eye and smile.

And after all this time, both hearts, that were so far away from each other, were now beating at the same rhythm. Because they were next to each other once again.


End file.
